Finishing A Shade, Trims and More

01/27/2016

Me and Ziggy poked our way up Haystack Mountain on Sunday. I breathed a sigh of relief as the sun warms up a bit this time of year. Phew, we got by the coldest bit of the winter! I woke up to a beautiful day off and I definitely needed some serious exercise. We are lucky to have this little gem right in the middle of town. I grabbed some lunch, dog biscuits, hiking boot grippers, my ski poles and off we went. I find hiking in the winter is much more fun than in the summer if the trail is packed and not too icy- somehow it's easier to slide your feet a long the snow than step up on rocks. It was a supreme day on Sunday and easy to stop and take a peek at the beauty in the land. I must admit my legs are still sore from Sunday... 3 days later. It was a good grunt up and pretty sweet on the way down. I ran into a couple I know in town, a nice guy that works at the local high school, a nice young woman that grew up in the area and another couple as well as Phil who farms the land abutting the Haystack hiking trail. Phil and his kids came sledding down the steep hill ready for some farm chores or maybe a trip to town. Pretty busy day for winter hikers I'd say.

With a hike behind me, I was ready to kick off the week with some new lampshade making! This pretty floral lampshade is from some bark cloth fabric I found a few weeks ago. It's $98. and measures 9"top x 14"bottom and 9.5" high on slant. It's hard to find some of these soft color curtain panels these days and was pretty sure this one will do well in the shop.

A friend dropped by some of her vintage Blue Fish clothes that she had cleaned out of her closet. I put them on my ironing board in the shop and thought....ohhh, maybe lampshades? Let's give it a try. This was the first Blue Fish Shade- a big rectangle. Often the design of a shade is determined by the size of the pattern or imagine you want to show off. This one easily spoke to being square or rectangle and my rectangle frame fit it a little better. Fun! It worked together pretty easy. I chose the homespun European sheeting for the other 3 panels and trim. The next Blue Fish Shade I did was not as great- the light really blurred the image....I am trying to add some fabric paint to see if I can make it pop better when lit up. Stay tuned, I've got stack of clothes to make shades with! My farm animal shades have become a shop favorite! Happy to have a few back in my inventory. How could you resist for a baby present! Easy clip on shade- 7"top x 10" bottom x 7" high. $75.

a detail of my next shade. I found this children's needlework matted in an antique shop up in Maine. The wooly lamb sold me on it! Had to get it for another kid's lampshade. Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep lamp shade! Again, the shape of the textile led me to a rectangle frame. This one has a nice bell to it. I trimmed it with a rick rack and a vintage trim. $95. I can see this handed down from generation to generation. Sure was fun to make. A pair of hex bell Daisy lampshades made from vintage embroidery. $68 per shade, 5" top x 8" bottom x 6" high and clip top. I found this embroidery on my Maine trip too. Always good to get away for some new inspiration! After a few days away I so happy to be back in my little shop again.

All for now,

xo

judy lake

ps, my Lampshade Lady book is no longer in print at Crown Publishing, but can be found on Amazon as well as maybe your local bookstore. I have a handful in-stock....would have been nice of them to communicate with me that they were selling them through... but why would I expect it now if they didn't communicate before... ahhh publishing..... guess I crossed that off my list after 2 editors (the second one didn't give a rats ass and came on just at publishing..... so helpful) and 4 assistant editors---interesting process during the crash of '08'. But sure glad I had the chance to make a book despite disappointments along the way.

12/30/2011

Happy New Year. It's time for a fresh start. I can barely read the Vermont Newspapers with all the Flood Irene Photos. Vermont has never been hit with a disaster like Irene. Many of my neighbors are both still waiting for major work on their properties. I was the lucky girl in the middle. How my cute little shop wasn't knocked off it's foundation I'll never know BUT thank goodness. A hellish fall for sure.

Time for so new ideas for kicking off the year. I just picked up this delightful, sweet English embroidery. It's a square tablecloth that called out to keep the pretty flowers together without getting chopped up by panels. The biggest drum shade I could fit across the width of the fabric was only 9 inches. So be it and I went with it. These are 9" x 9" x 9" with a washer top. Dresser scarves would be the perfect length for a drum shade, but usually all the good stuff, ie. embroidery is on the ends... so that doesn't work so great. detail of embroidery. oooh, look at the purples, oranges. I always admire the handiwork of the ladies of the UK. Why, why do they do it so much better than here in the States??? The whip must have been cracked in their early days when they slipped up.

Now to figure out how the heck to trim these babies.... I put these together at the end of the day yesterday. There was lots of thread trimming on the backside of the linen. What a mess with threads everywhere that needed to be snipped. I'll leave them close by to ruminate on their trimming... And another pair put together yesterday. These still need trimming also. I guess I have the hard work for today. Also squeaked out an uno hex bell with this same embroidery. Here's a new shape from The Lamp Shop. Not sure if it was a test frame or one they are introducing, but I got a sample from them and love it. It's a clip and think it might be popular. Doesn't hurt that this shade is made from a beauty of a antique French Knotted tablecloth and trimmed with a scrap of handsome blue Vintage Fabric.

Visit my Lake's Lampshades Face Book page and hit the "LIKE" button if you get a chance. When I'm out straight crazy and the blog is being neglected I do manage to post a few current shades on the Lake's Lampshades page. It's growing on me.... Post a photo of one of your lampshades. I'd love to see what YOU are making.

12/10/2011

Happy Holidays from Pawlet Village. Snow has come and it's time to get in the spirit. This is a sweet shade I just finished. It is made from a vintage Society Silk round. I've had it forever and could barely cut into it. There it would sit every Christmas getting buried after the holidays with the new fabric that would arrive with thoughts of spring. Today was it's day to come alive!

I have trouble using anything tooooooo holiday like, if you know what I mean. But this is elegant and could easily be used throughout the year. As I have often said, trimming a shade is absolutely the hardest design decision to be made. And this shade put me to task!! I left the shop yesterday after thinking I'd found the right trim. NOPE, back this am and ripped it off... but found this odd ball trim in my trim basket. It's a initial tape from Europe. I used it instead of grosgrain, gluing it onto the shade and wrapping it to the inside. SWEET, I was a couple inches short, but managed to add a tid bit of something similar. Do you think customers know what we go through? And lit. It's 4" x 8" x 6" (top x bottom x high) and is $75. Yellow Toille Hex Scallop trimmed in cotton quilting fabric. $75 5"x 10" x 7" high on a vintage glass base $45.

A view from where I sit. There a few inches of snow and George Frederic Handel is my Pandora Radio Choice this afternoon for me and Molly, but she seems to be snoozing through it. It's a sleepy day in the shop, must be time for another cup of tea and finish the next project in line. You can see the bark cloth red one on my table. Behind that are 2 candlewick hex shades and behind that is a pair of bark cloth winter farm scenes and lastly a beautiful white on white embroidery in a cut corner square AND guess what? It's been on my desk for a week, waiting for the right trim to hit me over the head. Over 25 years of making shades and finding the perfect trim is STILL hard. Holey Moley....but it does get better with age, I swear.

This beauty is similar to the one I was describing above, maybe I should trim it the same. This is a treat. Quite a nice textile find, yes, there was a hole in it....trapunto, I believe it's called, wrapping of the cord and tacking it onto the linen. And used candlewicking edge for the trim. $150. 14" bottom and 8.5" high. and with the light on. Last one, had to show off this big drum made with a grain bag. It's sold but has a great look. It's 18 x 18 x 11.

Time for tea!

Enjoy the holiday decorating, take it easy and have a little holiday cheer.

02/27/2011

Yesterday called for some cheerful creating. Spring seems like a very long way away, so why not escape into color and light. I did harm to one of my favorite books...one of Tricia Guilds Design Books... shame on me. The book has these amazing color transparencies scattered throughout the book. I always go back to them when I need inspiration. I love, love how the textiles, textures and colors are blended in these luscious photos. When I was working on my book, I kept thinking, oh god, if I only had the money to make this kind of book....

I was looking at the book over lunch when this idea zipped into my head, cut the photo transparencies out of the book and make a shade for the purple and gold nook in my house. No I think! Terrible thought to cut out the pages of this book.... well, maybe I could. Okay, before I knew it, scissors were in hand. And out they came. I already had a drum shade panel cut for a 14 x 14 x 10 all cut. I set the pictures on my table and arranged them in the order I loved best and trimmed them up to fit. I over lapped the photos as I set them on the styrene by just enough, maybe 1/16". I glued up the shade and added my favorite trims. I added trim onto the seam of the photos to keep them in place. I have been wanting to play around with some decoupaging, so maybe modge-podge would have been a good solution. Gotta study up on this.

Kitty Girly Bob loves it, too. Look how the colors and textures are coming together in my purple and gold nook.

Roy Egg's Chicken is above one of the windows. You must visit the famous Roy Egg Shop if you come to Pawlet. He is on the other side of town. A pure delight. He brings me his used Vanity Fairs.... love him and his work.

Roy Egg Asters. I finally found a great spot for these.

Color is inspiration, yummy. Keep lots of it around, please, please don't be a beige person....or even worse a beige house. Look below at the yarn I just picked up for a ski hat for Carson. The Garnet Hill catolog just happened to be on the table....I did buy the yarn before I picked up the catolog...but we are so influenced by the colors we love. I always remember that book, Color Me Beautiful, okay, this is dating me....

Garnet Hill's covers are the greatest. Those of us in the Manchester area are all crushed that we are losing THE BEST OUTLET EVER! Where will we get our clothes. It was just announced, I guess or word of mouth that they are leaving the end of the month... There are lots of outlets here in town, but this is the only one I almost always find something. Maybe they will change their minds. fingers crossed.

textures, colors, textures colors........... many years ago I had my craft booth set at a Craft Show in Weston, Vermont. My booth had lots of colors, fabrics, textures as I love to do. The woman that ran the show ungraciously said she thought my booth looked a little too busy...... Isn't it funny the things we remember. I was steaming, but everyone has their own taste, even if hers may have been a little too beige!!!

thanks Tricia Guild for your beautiful book and inspiration! It sure made a devine lampshade.

02/15/2011

That sounds easy enough. Right? Some projects sound so easy, but pull your hair out every step of the way. What size to do. I settled on a 13 x 13 x 11 Drum Shade. I usually don't do quite so deep a drum shade, but the pattern on this fabric worked best this way. After cutting my pattern of styrene out..... I realized I didn't have the 13" washer top... so it became a 12" x 12" x 11" high. Iron fabric. Love this fabric. It's a Japanese fabric designed by Etsuko Furuya. I've seen it all over the web, I got mine at, Alewives Fabrics in Maine. They have a beautiful site that's easy to use. Check them out. Cut styrene and laminate to fabric. Sounds easy, but opps I cut the fabric the wrong way. This fabric has birds and yupp, they were sideways when I cut the fabric... try again. Good thing I didn't make a big shade; this fabric is not super wide and the design goes across the fabric.This is how I cut the pattern. I am planning on using a hanging trim on the bottom and use a grosgrain ribbon, too. On the bottom I cut the fabric flush to the end of the styrene. On the top, I plan on wrapping the fabric around the top wire; I have left about 3/4" of fabric. On one end I cut the fabric flush to the styene and the other I left 1/4" to glue to inside of shade for clean edge. Adding glue to the end. Folding fabric on end to inside of styrene. I like to start gluing the top first. It allows me to hold on to the middle of the wire washer top and walk it along the edge. You can see the top fabric that will glue and wrap to the inside of the shade. And another sort of boo boo... hum, look how the fabrics came together in the back. drats. Repeat of pattern. I used a contrasting self trim on the seam to break it up. To make lampshades is often being a problem solver.... It drives me slightly crazy how this worked out, but it will have to do. It is what it is.... Adding the grosgrain on the bottom. Inside of shade. I used a 3/8" grosgrain on the inside seam, not necessary, but it looks more professional.

I also used a soutache on the inside top. I added this after I had folded the fabric to the inside of shade. It too is not necessary, but is a nice finish. Last I added the bottom trim. And..... of course there was a hang up there, too. As I was gluing the trim on, I noticed as I got to the end there was one without the little turquoise ball....wouldn't you know it. To save the day, I cut the end on a diagonal and glued it down and then started another piece and overlapped just a little. You can hardly notice it...

Some days go smooth and others............the lampshade lady just might be saying the f word.....( I always threaten that will be my next book, ha! much to my mother's horrors) (and I can hear Shirley laughing, Shirley is a very fine seamstress and designer that occasionally might use those words:))

12/09/2010

Vintage Monograms make great shades. They are a little hard to make up for inventory in my shop; it's best to use common letters and then take orders. B's, S's, T's, are good choices. I love this one; it's so nice and thick. I took pictures today as I was making it. No fancy photography, but hands on how-to. It's always interesting taking a picture and holding a glue bottle and a trim at the same time.... not quite like book production, but I think you'll get the idea. I cut 6 panels out of styrene for the hex bell frame, 5" top x 8" bottom x 6" high. I thought it would fit the monogram nicely. I had considered using the fabric behind the panels for the trim, but decided to save it for a couple big shades, it's a hard to find pretty barkcloth. Panels are glued onto the galvanized frame. Run a bead of glue around the 4 sides of the panel opening and set styrene/fabric panel and clip into place with clothespins. I like to use a long piece of grosgrain ribbon to hold panels in place. A good time to adjust and then let them dry, about 20 minutes. Vertical trim goes on next. Next step is to choose the trim fabric. I thought this one might look nice, but decided against it.This cloth tape is what I use to make the self trims. It is pressure sensitive on one side. The Lampshop carries it and it is called Bias Trim Fold Backer. I usually just call it pressure sensitive cloth tape. Trim decision: believe me, this can be the hardest decision of the project or maybe I am just too fussy, but I know my customers can be as fussy as I am. I love, love this hydrangea vintage fabric. The colors are subtle and will go with a variety of decors. I wish I had more of this hydrangea fabric..... keep your eyes out for me. It is a Vintage French Cretonne Fabric; it has a mini cord to it. I have used the cloth tape to make self-trims. 6 6" vertical strips and cut grosgrain for the top and bottom. I use the grosgrain to measure out the length of the self trim. I have used the Vintage Hyranga for both sides and top and bottom. Grosgrain MUST have at least 40% cotton- or else.... To glue the self-trim. Glue one side at a time. Hand press to make a nice crisp edge. I like to do the edge away from me and fold towards me. You'll probably find your own ways you like to do things. Fold over the other side. I use Quick Glue that comes from The Lamp Shop in Concord, N.H. It is transfered into these reuseable squeeze bottles. Add the strips to finish the vertical edges. I make a valley on the backside of the strip and add a fair amount of glue. Pick up any excess glue with your fingernails. It is easiest to do this with the shade on it's side. When all vertical self-trims are added, trim up excess fabric. Trim up any extra styrene, too. The smoother it is the smoother the grosgrain will look. Add grosgrain to the bottom. Half will go on the outside of shade and rest will turn and glue to the inside of the shade. Start in the back of the shade if there is a back. Cut on diagonal, adding glue, one panel at a time. glue detail Add glue to inside of grosgrain and turn around wire and tuck inside wire. Make 1/8th snips by wire clip to allow ribbon to go on either side of wire. (blogger, me.... multitasking.... small budget, must take photo, hold glue bottle and type at night!) Ha. To Make top and bottom self-trims. Make them the same way as the vertical trims without the valley on the back. Add glue onto the back of the self-trim and set onto the edge of the bottom of shade. Do a few inches at a time. Use one clothespin and walk it around the shade. If you leave it on too long it will leave an indent. Smile, this is the easiest part and so rewarding. You are almost finished. Yes, it will look great. The trim will cover up most boo boos. You could also use a decorative trim or tassel here. Over lap the self-trim. Cut on a diagonal and overlap a smidgen. Do the same for the top trim.

A personalized gift. Search your linen closets and antique shops for linen tea towels. They are so nice and soft, washed over and over again. Vintage linen makes up beautiful, much easier than new fabrics.

And if you think this is fun, Please pick up my book, The Lampshade Lady's Guide to Lighting up Your Life, (Potter Craft, 2009) and give it as a gift to your crafty friends. It's little growing niche. Start a cottage industry in your neck of the woods or just get inspired.

Happy Holidays,

judy lake

ps only one spot left in the Feb.12th workshop. I could add another date if there is enough interest.

10/28/2010

Here's some Vintage trims I've searched out. One fair warning.... a little bag of trim can add up quickly dollar-wise. I'm always keeping an eye out for trims. Purchasing trims is lots of fun, of course. A few new trims. Sweet organza purple floral and a grosgrain stripe. I have found that if the grosgrain has some cotton in the fiber content it will glue on much nicer than a polyester. a few more vintage treasures. The bottom embroidery is a embroidery strip that I think was used in sewing to be inserted on a blouse or dress. new and vintage woven braids. I like to wrap them on cardboard in pretty patterns, although they are forever getting messy... I was doing my "long list" of errands on a day off last week and stopped into Joanne's Fabric Store. I needed a few mini pompoms and also loved this shimmering rhinestone trim. Someone once told me to put the pompoms in the wash and they'll get fluffy -haven't tried it yet. another pretty cache. this funky trim has been a hit this summer in my shop. add a fun trim to a wild vintage print. this shade is getting an edging from a dresser scarf. Just fold the raw edge back to the back of the strip of fabric and glue. easy as pie. (photo G.Bouret)

As I have been know to say, It can make it or break it. If you aren't sure, give it a try and come back later. They'll usually come off with a careful tug.

gotta run, it's my husband's birthday and we are firing up the brick oven for a bunch of awesome pizzas for his band- we prepped this am: olive paste pizza, potatoes, bacon and sour cream with herbs, a new one Nacho Chips w/Chicken and Salsa- yummy good, a veggie one, a white clam one, a tart flambe with smoked salmon and creme fraiche. wicked good. And I made our favorite Almond Torte with Jelly in the middle and whipped cream on top and hopefully raspberries to top it off w/a bit of cocoa nibs, too.

If you are interested in the workshops, don't be dissapointed by missing out; space is limited.